Northwoods Table Talk

Lection for Exaudi Numbers 14:1-25       Luke 18:18-34   What images come to mind when you think of Jesus, God’s Christ? The pictures of Christ which come to mind are many and varied, probably coming from various pictures you have seen. Hopefully, your mind has some images which have been painted solely by the word of Holy Scriptures. What might those images be? Jesus as the Good Shepherd, holding a little lamb? Jesus kneeling or seated with children gathered around? Jesus standing in a boat with arms outstretched over tempestuous waters, while the disciples are cowering? A vision of Jesus at His Transfiguration, glowing white with Peter, James, John, Elijah, and Moses? Maybe your vision reflects today’s Gospel, Jesus gently touching the eyes of a blind man. These mental visuals of Jesus bring comfort to our hearts and minds. These Biblical visuals of Jesus lead us to think of Jesus as a man who loves us, a man who wants us to enjoy life and to be happy. And, we like that.

Lection for Friday after Ascension Numbers 11:24-29, 12:1-16       Luke 17:20-37 In the reading from Luke, we have a question posed to Jesus that seems to be something people of every age have wanted to give the answer, “When will the kingdom of God come?” Today there are those who think that the global pandemic, killer hornets, the plague of locusts, floods, earthquakes, etc… are all signs that the end is right around the corner. And then there is the plea that comes with the doom and gloom designed to get you to panic, “have you made a decision for Jesus? Have you asked Jesus into your heart? He is reaching out to you, all you need to do is grab His hand?” As if that is something a dead man can do – one dead in trespasses and sin? Ever see a dead man make a decision? do any talking? or reach out with their hand? We did not, indeed we cannot, seek out Jesus, Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. (Luke 19:10) A sheep lost in the wilderness does not seek out t

Lection for The Ascension of our Lord Numbers 11:1-23, 31-35       Luke 17:1-19 Today’s lection (Scripture lessons appointed as daily Bible reading guide) are wonderful, but I must admit I have a problem with them…today is Ascension! As it is good to celebrate this special day, the Ascension of our Lord, we will meditate on the Gospel reading for this day. Luke 24:44-53 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 44 Now He [Jesus] said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am s

Lection for Rogate Wednesday Numbers 10:11-36       L uke 16:19-31 We could spend a long time examining the reading from Luke and all the things going on in it. I’d like to examine it as the reason for evangelism, and then a simple formula for doing evangelism. I believe we have lost the primary reason for doing evangelism, but it is right there in our text. the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ (vv. 22b-24) The rich man died and went to hell, what the Greek language calls Hades. He was suffering, in torment, in great anguish. There is your reason for evangelism. There are people who will go to hell, there they will suffer eternally in torment and anguish. Do you desire this to befall a

Lection for Rogate Tuesday Numbers 9:1-23       Luke 16:1-18 In our reading from Luke, Jesus says the following, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?” (vv. 10-11) We do what Jesus suggests here on a regular basis. Before allowing children the use of certain things we make sure they are responsible with a very little, before allowing them to be faithful with much. Jesus is talking about a very little and much – unrighteous wealth and true riches. Do you get what Jesus is stating is “a very little”? It is the same to which Jesus refers as unrighteous wealth? Do you know what it is? The hint comes in the next verses further in our Gospel. “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

Lection for Rogate Monday Numbers 8:5-26       Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Tax collectors in Jesus day were considered the worst of because Israel was under Roman rule, and sax collector were collecting taxes then for the enemy. And, everybody knew that they collected extra. They called it the tax, but it was more than the Romans asked for – they padded the bill above and beyond what they were supposed to collect – supplemental income above the very decent salary they received from which they were paid. There were other people who were also known as “sinners” to the common populace, for example, prostitutes. Their life of sin was public knowledge. On the other hand, there were some people who believed they were better than others. In Jesus day, these people would never have thought to make friends with such "sinners," for to do so would be like demeaning oneself with the undesirable dregs of society.   Pharisees in Jesus’ day thought that they were better than common s

Lection for Rogate (Sunday)  Numbers 31:1-16, 39-48       Luke 14:25-15:10   Reading the lesson from Luke, we ask: What exactly is a disciple?  Some would say that a disciple is a student of someone, or maybe a follower of a particular individual of some renown. While this may be true, it entails more than that. A disciple is a follower of a particular teacher, who accepts unreservedly, in mind and in life, ***all*** the teachings and practices of the teacher. Dear friends in Christ, have you ever counted the cost of discipleship? All who claim to be Christians, are to be disciples of Christ. What is the cost of being a disciple of Christ as a parent? It means that you do not condone sin as it rears its ugly head in their life. It means that when the world’s opinions about parenting do not jive with Scriptures, you follow what God commands. It may mean, giving an ultimatum to a child because you have their eternal benefit in mind. What is the cost of being a disciple